POLICY REPORT
URBAN STRUCTURE

Date: January 22, 2002
Author/Local: Susan Anderson/604-873-7473

RTS No. 02396

CC File No. 5340

P&E: February 7, 2002

TO:	Standing Committee on Planning and Environment
FROM:	Director of City Plans in consultation with the General Manager of Engineering Services
SUBJECT:	Update on the Implementation of the Dunbar and Kensington-Cedar Cottage Community Visions

GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS

The General Manager of Community Services submits this report for information.

COUNCIL POLICY

In 1998, City Council approved the Dunbar and Kensington-Cedar Cottage Community Visions. In 1999, Council approved implementation strategies and action plans to carry out the Dunbar and Kensington-Cedar Cottage Community Visions, as well as a budget for staff and expenses to assist with implementation.

PURPOSE

This report provides Council with the status of implementation actions in Dunbar and Kensington-Cedar Cottage (KCC). The subjects of staffing and budget for Vision implementation for the four "Visioned" areas will be addressed when staff report back this spring on implementation of the recently approved Community Visions for Sunset and Victoria-Fraserview/Killarney.

BACKGROUND

The Community Visions program was developed to bring CityPlan Directions to the neighbourhood level to address unique local needs and aspirations. Dunbar and KCC were selected as the two pilot project areas for Community Visioning. Their Visions were completed and adopted by Council in 1998.

DISCUSSION

Vision Implementation
Implementation activities in Dunbar and KCC over the past two years generally consist of:
· Carrying out work listed in the Action Plans;
· Community liaison;
· Community support/building.

Action Plans
The Council-adopted Dunbar and KCC Vision Action Plans describe how City departments can direct their programs and resources and make policy decisions to help achieve the Directions set out in the two Visions. Key principles underlying the Vision program and Action Plans are:
· Community Visions will be used to inform and guide City decisions and ongoing programs that affect the community;
· CityPlan supports re-directing budgets and resources to address priorities rather than increasing spending; and
· CityPlan and the Community Visions are based on a 20-year time frame. Not all implementation actions will happen in the short term.

The Action Plans were drafted in consultation with the communities after the approval of the two Visions. They are monitored by the Vision implementation planner who is in regular contact with staff in various departments involved in Vision implementation activities. The plans are posted on the community web pages for easy access by staff and the community. Plans are updated on a regular basis to show current status of work and, when appropriate, new actions are added. Action Plans are attached as Appendix A and B.

Community Liaison
Visions Implementation staff are in regular contact with the two Vision communities and advise other City staff working in these areas or processing development applications affecting them. Staff attend community meetings, where appropriate, and provide a point of first contact for residents both on Vision implementation issues and other enquiries. Community meetings and newsletters communicate implementation status, elicit feedback and keep the Vision messages alive.

Community Building/Support
The KCC Vision Direction calls for community development assistance "to help the community accomplish more with local volunteer efforts" and to "put people in touch with city programs like greenways and public art, assist groups to access funding sources". Over the past two years, staff have been providing this kind of assistance and support to neighbourhood and business groups. The KCC section below gives examples of the kind of projects underway.

Vision Implementation in Kensington Cedar Cottage

Kensington-Cedar Cottage and Dunbar are about the same size in area, however, KCC has twice the population, half the average annual household income, and double the percentage of people with English as a second language (70%).

The Kensington-Cedar Cottage Vision calls for cleaner, greener, safer neighbourhoods, tamer arterials, with new housing and change focused around existing shopping areas. The KCC Vision also encourages walking, cycling and transit and calls for more community involvement in decision making.

The KCC Action Plan (Appendix A), contains over 65 actions to be carried out over 15 - 20 years. Roughly one third of these actions are `complete' or `underway'. The balance, including `policy' and `ongoing' actions, are to be carried out over the lifetime of the Vision as resources become available. Some of the actions were initiated as a direct result of the Vision; others were prompted by separate or related initiatives such as Skytrain. All of the actions listed advance the Vision directions.

Following are highlights of implementation actions grouped by the general Vision Directions they address:

· Improvements to the Broadway & Commercial shopping area

- Broadway & Commercial Station Public Realm and Streetscape Plan, developed in consultation with the community, is now in the implementation phase including:

bus bulges, street trees, street furniture, and public art;

- Design Guidelines to address uses, scale and character for commercial uses have been adopted;

- Funding secured for a new Cedar Cottage Community Policing Centre and design underway;

- 24 hour on-street parking restored on Commercial Drive and by-law requirement for collective parking reduced;
- New greenways /bikeways along E. 10th Avenue and the KCC portion of the Central Valley Trail will be implemented next year; and
- Consultant retained to work with area businesses to form a business association.

· Improvements to the Kingsway and Knight area

The Kingsway and Knight area continues to be a priority with the community, especially the former Safeway site which remains vacant except for a flea market. A report will be going to Council in the next few months, proposing a Neighbourhood Centre Delivery Program, that will address Vision Directions on shopping area improvements and new housing types. Kingsway and Knight will be proposed as the first area for the program. Preliminary work is underway in the area including a business outreach project. Work on the other aspects of the program: zoning, design guidelines, public realm, new housing options, pedestrian safety and comfort improvements, and additional business revitalization initiatives will follow. A new land use policy was adopted to discourage non pedestrian-friendly uses in this and other future neighbourhood centres.

· Improvements to the conditions and safety along Knight Street and the other arterials

In response to the Vision Direction to improve the conditions and safety along Knight Street, City staff from Engineering and Planning have almost completed a preliminary review of existing transportation, land use and environment issues along Knight Street. This will be reported to Council in the spring, along with recommendations for the next phase of work including the public process.

· Cleaner Neighbourhoods

In response to concerns about garbage and litter voiced in the Vision areas and other neighbourhoods across the city, Engineering is working on a number of initiatives, such as:
- Mandatory garbage service for all residential properties, including multi-family, starting in 2002;
- A pilot program aimed at abandoned garbage on public property including streets, lanes and parks; overflowing garbage containers; and street litter, is currently underway citywide. This is a multi-faceted pilot project including education (a new multi-lingual brochure outlines merchant responsibilities with respect to property maintenance and garbage); complaint investigation and follow-up; patrols of problem areas; and enforcement where needed. Engineering Services expects to report the results of this pilot program to Council before spring.
- A review and reengineering of the street cleaning program, including street sweeping, flushing and the number and locations of street litter containers. Significant changes to the litter container program are expected to be implemented with the Street Amenity Program.

· Greener and Safer Neighbourhoods

City staff have worked in partnership with groups of KCC residents and schools on a number of initiatives to make neighbourhoods safer and greener.
The Lord Selkirk School project at 22^nd and Commercial began as a traffic calming project and grew to include community-sponsored greening, public art, and events such as the Bard on the Street event.
The Windsor Way Blooming Boulevards project along Windsor Street between 12^th and 41^st encourages residents to adopt and plant the boulevards in front of their homes. This project has received a Neighbourhood Matching Fund grant from the Park Board to purchase plant materials and is being recommended for a 2002 public art grant to further develop the route as a neighbourhood greenway. In the same area, the Dickens Community Crime Watch group is working to improve conditions in the nearby Kingsway shopping area.
The Mountainview Neighbourhood Group at 27^th and Fraser, originally formed as a crime watch group, received a matching grant from the Park Board to construct and install neighbourhood bulletin boards along area walking routes. This group is also working on options for "greener" back lanes and curb treatments.

· Helping the community accomplish more with local volunteer efforts

The greening and traffic projects in the preceding section are examples of community initiatives in KCC. The role of Visions implementation staff has been to assist residents to connect with City "partnership" programs like Greenways, Green Streets, Matching Grants, Environmental Grants, Public Art and to help develop innovative demonstration projects that respond to community priorities. Staff also facilitate preliminary discussions and organization of new groups when requested by the community.

For more information and detail on Vision implementation, refer to the KCC Action Plan (Appendix A).

Community Involvement in KCC Vision Implementation
Residents of Kensington-Cedar Cottage have a long history of community involvement in local actions. At workshops held in 1999, residents created the KCC CityPlan Committee to help implement and monitor the Community Vision. The Committee meets once a month to discuss community issues and Vision implementation. Meetings are generally well attended by residents and representatives of sub committees working on a variety of initiatives underway in the community. The Committee, with the assistance of staff, sends an annual update on Vision implementation to all households. They also host an annual community meeting to set priorities and encourage community involvement in the many sub-committees and projects underway and planned.

Over the past two years, the Committee has championed several community actions including: the protection of neighbourhood character through opposition to billboards in residential areas; the provision of local food services through support of the Famous Foods expansion and an active campaign against the use of restrictive covenants as well as active participation in the redevelopment of Kingsway and Knight to ensure that new development respects Vision Directions.

Vision Implementation in Dunbar
Dunbar's Vision emphasizes preservation of its green, village-like character and predominantly single-family housing. Changes and improvements should be focused on Dunbar St., the other arterials and the three shopping areas. The Dunbar Vision also encourages walking, cycling and transit and more community involvement in decision making.

Roughly one quarter of the actions listed in the Dunbar Action Plan (Appendix B) are complete or underway. The balance of actions, including `policy' and `ongoing' actions, are to be carried out over the lifetime of the Vision, as resources become available. As in KCC, some of these actions are in direct response to the Vision, while others came from separate or related policy initiatives. All are consistent with Dunbar Vision directions. Following are highlights of implementation actions grouped by the general Vision Directions they address:

· More community input into decisions that affect Dunbar

A number of the Public Involvement Review Implementation initiatives address this Direction, including:
- the Community Web Pages which provide information on development

applications, rezonings, City projects, City resources and programs; and

- improvements to the City's notification procedures.
While progress has been made on the provision of information and notification procedures, some Dunbar residents feel this does not go far enough in terms of their input into City decisions.

· Better design of mixed use (C-2) developments

- The C-2 zoning review addresses the height, massing and design of mixed-use buildings in C-2 zones throughout the city. After the consultant's report is completed in early 2002, staff will report to Council for endorsation of policy directions, and then revise the district schedules and guidelines for referral to public hearing in the spring.

· Improve appearance and viability of Dunbar's shopping areas

- local merchants have formed the Dunbar Business Association and plan to apply for BIA status in 2002. The City's Business Improvement Planner has provided support and advice;
- City initiatives such as the Street Amenity Program and the Sidewalk Task Force will result in improvements to pedestrian amenities and comfort in Dunbar shopping areas over the next few years; and
- the Neighbourhood Centre program which will address shopping area improvements as well as new housing types is anticipated to commence in Dunbar once the Kingsway and Knight program is underway .

· Dealing with traffic issues on local streets

- city-wide traffic calming criteria were adopted to provide a framework for assessing traffic calming needs and allocating resources;
- stop signs, speed bumps, corner bulges, zebra crossings and other traffic

management measures were installed in residential areas in response to local problems;

- a new special crosswalk with overhead illumination was installed at West 41^st and Wallace and funding approved for a pedestrian lights and bulges at Dunbar and 29^th; and
- Engineering staff have been meeting on a regular basis with the Blenheim Neighbourhood Group about redesignation and design of Blenheim Street.

For more information and detail on Vision implementation, refer to the Dunbar Action Plan (Appendix B).

Community Involvement in Dunbar Vision Implementation
In 1999, residents formed the Dunbar Neighbourhood Council (DNC) as an "information clearing house" for sharing information about community issues and furthering the Dunbar Vision. From March 1999 to September, 2000, the DNC hosted monthly community meetings which the Implementation Planner attended. Over that period, participation in the DNC declined. At a community review in January, 2001, residents decided to discontinue monthly meetings, and instead focus energies on proposed developments, projects and other activities in Dunbar.

Dunbar is well served by its existing community organizations which facilitate dialogue and involvement. The Dunbar Residents Association (DRA) is active in community affairs, sponsoring initiatives and projects, such as: Salmonberry Days, town hall meetings and a quarterly newsletter to all households. The other major organization is the Dunbar Community Association which jointly operates the Dunbar Community Centre with ParksBoard. The Dunbar listserve, a free internet-based resource, is run by community residents to facilitate information exchange and discussion.

The Vision implementation staff will continue to:
- monitor implementation activities and development applications in Dunbar;
- support community initiatives that further Vision Directions; and
- communicate with residents on the status of Vision implementation and projects that will affect them.

Visions Implementation Challenges
Progress has been made on Vision implementation, especially where existing programs can be focused to address Vision Directions. However, where significant new programs or approaches, such as neighbourhood centre delivery and arterials planning need to be developed, progress has been slower. The delays have been due to a number of reasons: staff had to complete other priority work before starting on Vision implementation activities; recruitment difficulties; and the time needed for the development phase of new programs. Implementation of the next Visions should be smoother and benefit from the experience in the two pilot areas.

Resourcing Vision Implementation
In June 1999, Council approved two staff positions for Vision implementation activities:
· a Planner I to coordinate Vision implementation and monitor actions; and
· a temporary Civil Engineer to develop a comprehensive arterial plan for Knight Street, Kingsway and Dunbar Street.

Since September 1999, the Vision Implementation Planner has been working with staff throughout the City to translate Vision Directions into actions; scheduling actions and tracking progress on the range of implementation actions; monitoring development applications and City actions for consistency with Vision Directions; facilitating communication and cooperation between City staff and the community, including attending community meetings.

Over the past few years, Engineering Services has had difficulty filling some professional vacancies including the arterials Engineer position. The position is now filled as of January, 2002. Funding for 28 months remains in the budget and will cover the position into 2004.

In addition to the above staff positions, Council also approved a communications budget of $50,000 for the period ending December, 2001. Approximately half has been spent on translation, printing and distribution costs for the community updates and various community meeting expenses.

Staff will be reporting to Council later this spring with implementation action plans for the two newly approved Vision areas: Sunset and Victoria Fraserview/Killarney. This report will address the need for continued implementation budget for the four "visioned" areas.

CONCLUSION

Since 1999 when Council approved the Implementation Strategies for the Dunbar and Kensington-Cedar Cottage Community Visions, staff have been working with the two communities to implement and monitor the Vision Directions. Many of the implementation actions have been completed or are underway. Staff are working to develop new delivery programs and streamline implementation activities.

ATTACHMENTS THAT DO NOT HAVE ELECTRONIC COPY ARE AVAILABLE ON FILE IN THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE.

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(c) 1998 City of Vancouver